The present invention relates generally to sterilization control and more particularly to a device which may be placed within the sterilizing chamber for continuously monitoring the various sterilization affecting environmental conditions within the chamber and using the information generated by such device to control the operation of the sterilizer.
In the operation of sterilizing apparatus one of the primary problems involved in achieving sterility results from the inability to accurately monitor the sterilization affecting environmental conditions within the sterilizing chamber and more importantly, within the pack or articles being sterilized. Consequently, simulated load delays or extra sterilizing time are among the various techniques which have been employed to compensate for delays in the heat up time or moisturizing or penetration of the sterilizing gas into the article being sterilized. None of these techniques however, accurately reflect the actual load condition, that is, the conditions within or at the center of the load being sterilized.
The present invention overcomes these difficulties by providing sensor elements and a radio transmitter in a housing which can be placed in the sterilizing chamber, and even within the pack to be sterilized. The sensor elements monitor the various sterilization affecting environmental conditions and the transmitter conveys such information to an antenna which is hard wired through the sterilizer wall to the sterilizer control apparatus outside of the sterilizing chamber.